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A chair anchored in Athens’ past but redesigned for modern living, socializing and creating deep connections.
Past traditions, reimagined for a new generation? Athens-based architecture studio Local Local has done exactly that with the Parrot Chair, the firm’s first foray into furniture design. Created for Greek brand Sirigos, the chair not only pays homage to the premium furniture manufacturer’s heritage but also reinvents an Athenian classic: the telephone seat, also known as the gossip seat. In Local Local’s version, the beloved piece of furniture gets a minimalist makeover, losing the shelf that used to hold a phone yet preserving the concept of togetherness and social bonding.
The Parrot Chair is part of a larger project named “A Century and a Year,” which marked Sirigos’ 101st anniversary. Like other architects and designers who were invited to participate, Local Local reinterpreted a piece from the company’s archives for modern living and for a new generation of design lovers.
“Designing the Parrot Chair has been a very fulfilling experience. I’ve really enjoyed studying and exploring the contemplative nature of the object and allowing the product design to come together mechanically, it uses a different part of the brain. Where we often start by listening to a site’s history, the Parrot Chair began with listening to an archive, and to a piece of everyday Athenian life that had quietly slipped out of use,” says Sofia Xanthakou, Local Local Founding Director.
Previously bulkier due to its telephone shelf, the gossip chair now becomes a sleek and elegantly simple piece of furniture with a minimalist frame, an angled backrest and a generously sized seat for extra comfort. Crafted from maple wood using traditional techniques, the Parrot Chair features exposed joints that celebrate Sirigos’ heritage in quality timber furniture manufacturing. Left untreated, the wood will develop a gorgeous patina, becoming more beautiful over time and with use. Perfect on its own in a home office or a bedroom, the Parrot Chair truly shines when positioned in a group, whether around a dining table or in a lounge area. Photography© Lorenzo Zandri.
